Presented by Capital One, the James Beard Awards have announced the 2026 finalists across restaurant, chef, bar, and beverage categories, along with this year’s Achievement Award honorees, including Impact, Humanitarian of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement. See the full list below.
Since their founding in 1990, the James Beard Awards have stood as one of the most influential honors in American food culture, celebrating the people and places shaping how the country eats and drinks. This year’s finalists represent a more focused field, narrowing January’s semifinalists to the chefs, restaurants, and teams now one step closer to winning.
The announcement was made during a live ceremony in Chicago, where the Foundation also confirmed the Awards will remain in the city through 2028. Winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 15, 2026, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Below is the full list of 2026 James Beard Award finalists, as announced.
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Nancy Silverton
Humanitarian of the Year Award
- No Us Without You/Othón Nolasko and Damián Diaz
Outstanding Restaurateur
- Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar, Ettan, Copra, and Eylan, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Los Altos, and Menlo Park, CA
- Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, NC
- Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, and others), New Orleans, LA
- Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, H-Town Restaurant Group (Hugo's, Xochi, Urbe, and others), Houston, TX
- Dana Street, Fore Street, Scales, Standard Baking Co., and others, Portland, ME
Outstanding Chef
- Gilberto Cetina, Holbox, Los Angeles, CA
- Niki Nakayama, n/naka, Los Angeles, CA
- Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction, CO
- David Standridge, The Shipwright's Daughter, Mystic, CT
- Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco, CA
Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water
- The Catbird Seat, Nashville, TN
- The Four Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY
- Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Mixtli, San Antonio, TX
- Vicia, St. Louis, MO
Emerging Chef presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
- Fátima Juárez, Komal, Los Angeles, CA
- E.J. Lagasse, Emeril's, New Orleans, LA
- Rasheeda Purdie, Ramen by Rā, New York, NY
- Bailey Sullivan, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
- Adrian Torres, Maximo, West University Place, TX
Best New Restaurant
- 1033 Omakase, Milwaukee, WI
- Agnes and Sherman, Houston, TX
- Anjin, Kansas City, MO
- Emmett, Philadelphia, PA
- Ki, Los Angeles, CA
- Lei, New York, NY
- Maison Bar à Vins, Washington, DC
- Merci, Charleston, SC
- Robin, St. Louis, MO
- Tamba, Las Vegas, NV
Outstanding Bakery
- Cultured, Sister Bay, WI
- Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage, AK
- Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem, NH
- Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, Charleston, SC
- Wild Crumb, Bozeman, MT
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
- Neale Asato, Asato Family Shop, Honolulu, HI
- Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
- Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Nicosi, San Antonio, TX
- Maggie Huff, Lucia, Dallas, TX
- Justine MacNeil, Fiore, Philadelphia, PA
Outstanding Hospitality
- Ansots Basque Chorizos & Catering, Boise, ID
- Aria, Atlanta, GA
- Bottega, Birmingham, AL
- Louie, Clayton, MO
- Providence, Los Angeles, CA
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Chambers, New York, NY
- Field & Main, Marshall, VA
- Kato, Los Angeles, CA
- The Port of Call, Mystic, CT
- Sway Brewing & Blending, Baileys Harbor, WI
Outstanding Bar
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
- Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday, Philadelphia, PA
- Onyx Coffee Lab, Rogers, AR
- Scotch Lodge, Portland, OR
- Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco, CA
Best New Bar
- Bar Chenin, Detroit, MI
- Bar Please!, Boise, ID
- Clemente Bar, New York, NY
- Later Bye, Oklahoma City, OK
- Loma, Providence, RI
Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
- Jack Benchakul, Endorffeine, Los Angeles, CA
- Lee Campbell, Borgo, New York, NY
- Ryan Fletter, Barolo Grill, Denver, CO
- Brent Kroll, Maxwell Park, Washington, D.C.
- June Rodil, March, Houston, TX
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
- Hastings Cameron, Imaginary Factory, Madison, WI
- Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA
- Nicky Fas, Pantera, Caguas, PR
- McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club, Denver, CO
- Ivy Mix, Whoopsie Daisy, Brooklyn, NY
Best Chefs presented by Capital One (by region)
Best Chef: California
- Dave Beran, Seline, Santa Monica, CA
- Harrison Cheney, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco, CA
- Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu, Sun Moon Studio, Oakland, CA
- Daisy Ryan, Bell's, Los Alamos, CA
- Kwang Uh, Baroo, Los Angeles, CA
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Vinnie Cimino, Cordelia, Cleveland, OH
- Sarah Dworak, Sudova, Cincinnati, OH
- Norman Fenton, Cariño, Chicago, IL
- Jeffrey Harris, Nolia Kitchen, Cincinnati, OH
- Jacob Potashnick, Feld, Chicago, IL
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
- Nathan Flaim, Luca, Lancaster, PA
- Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia, PA
- Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club, Philadelphia, PA
- Suresh Sundash, Taipori, Washington, D.C.
- Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, Honeysuckle, Philadelphia, PA
Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
- Zak Baker, Ca’Lucchenzo, Wauwatosa, WI
- Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado No Mise, Minneapolis, MN
- Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Grove
- Nick Bognar, Sado Pavilion, St. Louis, MO
- David Utterback, Yoshitomo, Ota, Omaha, NE
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina, Denver, CO
- Travis Herbert, Felt Bar & Eatery, Salt Lake City, UT
- Earl James Reynolds, Herb and Omni, Whitefish, MT
- Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver, CO
- Nick Zocco, Urban Hill, Salt Lake City, UT
Best Chef: New York State
- Fidel Caballero, Corima, New York, NY
- Giovanni Cervantes, Carnitas Ramirez, New York, NY
- Hooni Kim, Meju, Queens, NY
- Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shukette, New York, NY
- Joshua Pinsky, Claud, New York, NY
Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
- David DiStasi, Materia Ristorante, Bantam, CT
- Evan Hennessey, Stages, Dover, NH
- Thomas Takashi Cooke, Izakaya Minato, Portland, ME
- Paul Trombly, Fancy's, Burlington, VT
- Derek Wagner, Nicks on Broadway, Providence, RI
Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (AK, HI, OR, WA)
- Nathan Bentley, Altura Bistro, Anchorage, AK
- Johnny Courtney, Atoma, Seattle, WA
- Thomas Pisha-Duffly, Gado Gado, Portland, OR
- Ryan Roadhouse, Nodoguro, Portland, OR
- Aaron Tekulve, Surrell, Seattle, WA
Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)
- Bryce Bonsack, Rocca, Tampa, FL
- Ana Castro, Acamaya, New Orleans, LA
- Maria La Mota and Chason Spencer, Chancho King, Jacksonville, FL
- Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, New Orleans, LA
- Jason Paul, Heirloom at 1907, Rogers, AR
Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
- Joe Cash, Scoundrel, Greenville, SC
- Mary Ellen Diaz, Alma Bea, Shepherdstown, WV
- J. Trent Harris, Mujō, Atlanta, GA
- Taylor Montgomery, Montgomery Sky Farm, Leicester, NC
- David Willocks, The Baker's Table, Newport, KY
Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)
- Jeff Chanchaleune, Bar Sen, Oklahoma City, OK
- Brian Howard, Sparrow + Wolf, Las Vegas, NV
- Steve Riley, Mesa Provisions, Albuquerque, NM
- Sarah Thompson, Casa Playa, Las Vegas, NV
- Zack Walters, Sedalia's, Oklahoma City, OK
Best Chef: Texas
- Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk, Houston, TX
- Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, JŪN, Houston, TX
- Scott Girling, Osteria Il Muro, Denton, TX
- Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla, Café Piro, Socorro, TX
- Finn Walter, The Nicolett, Lubbock, TX
